Hot-water-pressure combined domestic and heating system.



A. H. THOMPSON.

HOT WATER PRESSURE COMBINED DOMESTIC AND HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED ocr. 21. 1912. RENEWED OCT. 25, m3.

Patented Smut. 11, 1917.

Eng. 1

I "Ne" w WEE @TATE@ .dfi hll @ldlhlltlht ALFRED H. THOMPSON, 0F VENICE, CALIFORNIA.

HOT-WATER-PRESSURE COMBINED DOMESTIC AND HEATING SYSTEM.

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Application filed October 21, 1912, Serial No. 727,0

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED H. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Venice, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful l lot-VVatenPressure Combined Domestic and Heating System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel apparatus whereby the hot water in a water sys tem for domestic supply may be practically applied for heating radiators placed at or below the level of the heater which supplies the heat to said hot water system.

An object of the invention is to make provision whereby the heating system can all be placed on one floor as in onestory cottages, and bungalows and one-floor apartments and Hats, and yet allow the radiators to be installed at any level desired. It is usually considered desirable to place the radiators on or close to the floor and such a location of the radiator brings the bottom thereof to or below the level of the heater by which heat is applied to such one-story system.

It is found, however, that in hot water heating systems heretofore known the heat from the heater will not descend to a level lower than the heater and this condition prevents the required heat from reaching the radiator thus located.

So far as I am aware hot water heating systems employing a heater and a radiator with water connections between the heater and the radiator have been constructed upon the theory that the heat is conducted from the heater to the radiator by a circulation of the water in the system; but I have discovcred that if provision is made whereby the water circuit can be maintained in the heat- .'1g system the heated water will rapidly pass through the system to not only the level at which the heat is applied, but also to a certain point below such level; and that the lowest point below such level to which the heated water can thus be driven is determined by natural physical forces; and that it is possibleto construct a hot water heating and domestic supply system in which the radiator is placed at or below the level of the heater, and it is possible to so construct the system that there will be an unbroken water circuit leading upward from the heater to a predetermined point, and thence downward and to the radiator and thence through and from the radiator to the lower Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Faept. 11, 1917.,

73. Renewed October 25, 1913. Serial No. 797,358.

end of the heater and thence through the heater to complete the circuit, and atthe same time the hot water of the system may be drawn from for domestic use without breaking the circuit.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of means whereby I insure the maintenance of such unbroken circuit, and this I effect by providing at the highest point of the circuit a distributer forming a part of such circuit and having a sufficient capacity to keep the circuit from being broken by accumulations of air or steam that may occur under the forces operating in the system during the practical use thereof.

That is to say said distributor is constructed of a considerable size suificient to accommodate the air and steam accumulations that may occur in practical operation; and to hold the same out of the radiator circuit so that such circuit will not be broken thereby and the domestic hot water service pipe leading to the faucet is connected to the distributor above the level of the hot water circuit.

It is practical to supply the hot water heating system through a supply pipe from the water mains of a pressure supply system and to depend upon the yielding pressure of said supply system to regulate the pressure within the hot water system and the expansion of steam from the heat of the heater may result in forcing water from the heating system out toward the main, thusforming a steam space at the top of the system.

There is always a certain amount of oc eluded air contained in the water supply flowing to such systems from the main and such air will gradually accumulate at the highest point of the system, and when the accumulation of air or the accumulation of steam as above set forth is suficicnt to break the hot water circuit, the conduction of heat through the hot water system is arrested. A feature of this invention, therefore, con sists in applying a hot water distributer to the heating circuit between the top thereof and the connection of the domestic service pipe, so that in case there is any steam or air in the hot water circuit, it will rise out of said circuit and be stored without breaking such circuit, and will be drawn off through a cock of the domestic water pipe when said cock is open.

I have discovered, howevefrg that it is new essary to preserve certain relations with re gard to the levels of the distributor, the heater and the bottom of the radiator circuit, and that it is necessary that the connection of the hot water circuit with the distributor shall be at least twice as high above the heater as the heater is above the bottom of the radiator circuit, and that the reason for this is the necessity of gaining suificient weight of liquid in the heating system between the heater and the distributer to force the heat down below the heater to the bottom of the radiator circuit.

. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing partly in section portions of a structure in which is installed in accordance with this invention a hot water pressure combined domestic and heating system sectioned in part.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail from line 00 Fig. l to show the thermostat.

The heater 1 communicates through the riser 2 with a closed, upright, single-chambored combined storage reservoir and distributer 3 of which the height is greater than the width and from which the drop pipe tleads to the horizontal floor pipe 4' and through the valve 5, radiator 6, horizontal return pipe 8 to the rising heater pipe 9 which communicates through the branch 10 with the heater 1. The distributer is of greater diameter and capacity than the pipes communicating with it.

The heater pipe 9 communicates through an upward extension 9 including the valve 11 with the bottom oi": the service tank 12 which is connected at its top by pipe 18 with the drop pipe 4;. r V

The pressure service pipe 1*: enters the heater pipe in its extension or branch 9 between the valve 11 and the branch 10; and when the cocks 19 are open, water from the supply pipe 14: may enter the system to supply service pressure thereto.

The burner 15 is arranged below the coiled heater pipe 1 in the usual manner to heat the contents of such pipe and when the valves 5 and 11 are opened, the burner-in,

operation and the service cocks 19 closed, water will circulate through the pipe 10 heater 1, riser 2, distributor 3, drop pipe 4:, tank pipe 13 and the upper extension or branch 9' of the pipe 9 to pipe 10, and so on. Gas is supplied to the burner 15 by the pipe 16 controlled by a thermostatic valve 17 of well-known construction.

it domestic service pipe 18, separated from the other pipesin the system, leads from the distributor 3 above the level of the riser 2 and is connected with the domestic service cocks 19. A gas valve 20 is provided to cutoff the gas supply, not shown.

The clistributer is preferably of limited dimensions, so that the water therein may be quickly heated when the heater is in operation, the water rising from the heater through the riser 2 to the distributor and displacing colder water in the distributor and in the descending pipe 4. It is thus seen that the water in the distributor becomes heated almost directly from the heater. 1f the valve 11 is open, the cold water displaced from the distributor will be short-circuited through the domestic tank 12, the extension 9', the heater pipe branch 10 and the heater 1, eventually filling the domestic tank with hot water which is first passed through the distributor tank 3.

The thermostatic valve 17 may be set so that when the water which passes through the heater branch 19 reaches a certain temperature, the gas supplied through pipe 16 will be shut off, leaving only a small flame as a pilot light not shownrat the burner 15, to maintain the fire; so that when the temperature of the water becomes lower the gas may again-be turned on to maintain the requisite temperature.

lVhile the valve 11's thus open, hot water may be drawn from the faucets or domestic service cocks 19 and will flow directly from the distributor which will be supplied with hot water from the domestic tank 12 under the pressure from service pipe 1 1 until the hot water has been drawn whereupon the circulation upward through pipe 2 will continue and will supply hot water to the distributer, so that whenever there is any hot water in the system it can be drawn off at 100 the domestic cocks.

When the valve 11 and the service cocks 19 are opened the system is supplied with cold water flowing from service pipe 14. into the bottom of the domestic tan; and hot 105 water will be drawn. from the top of the domestic tank and from the distributer until the domestic tank has been filled with cold water from the main.

hen the service cocks 19 and thevalve 110 11 are closed and the burner 15 is lighted, the hot water from the heater 1 displaces the cold water, if any in the distributer and a circulation is established downward through the drop pipe 1-, then horizontally 1 through the floor pipe 1' radiator 6. return pipe 8, heater pipes .9 and 10,-heater 1 and riser 2. 1

I have discovered that it is important that the distributer '3 be elevated above the 120 heater level at 1 of the system by a distance equal to or greater than twice the distance from the heater burnerl level at 15, Figql, to the lowest water level at 4 because of the difference between the'density of the mass 1 of water and air extending from the distributor 3 at the highest water level ofthe circuits to the heater level at 15 and the density of the mass of water extending from said heater level to the lowest water level 130 of the circuits so as to obtain maximum circulation. F or instance, if the distance from the heater level at 15 to the lowest water level at i is assumed to be four feet, then the distance from said heater level at 15 to the distributer 3 should not be less than eight feet but is preferably made as much greater than eight feet as is convenient in order to adord maximum speed of water circulation through the heater.

It is also advisable to extend the distributer tank8 above the level of the pipe 2 so that the circulation of water is not broken in case steam is generated in the system. The said steam may gather in the upper portion of the distributer and by connecting the service pipe 18 to the upper part of the distributerthe latter may be relieved of said accumulated steam service cocks 19. By this provision the water also is delivered from the highest point of the distributer which is the hottest part 7 of the system.

Should both valve lland the radiator started lnadvertently, the circulation through the same will be blocked and the coils of same damaged by overheating; To avoid this a circulation pipe 21, connecting pipe 4: with plpe 9 and extending plied, will afford a path that is always open of the heater;

for free circulation through the heating coils, as the passage through said circulation pipe is uninterrupted'by valves or other obstructions. I

Viewing the domestic heating system broadly it is seen tocomprise a water circuit including a distributor domestic tank 12, pipe 9, valve 11, a portion of pipe 9, pipe 10, heater 1 and pipe 2; the distributer being situated substantially above the level of the domestic tank and the domestic tank being situated substantially above the level of the heater. A portion of pipe i below pipe 13 obviously communicates with the water circuit above the domestic tank and in connection with pipe 4 and valve 5 leads the hot water to radiator 6 which extends below while the pipe 8 leading from said radiator communicates through a part of pipe 9 to the lower portion of the aforesaid water circuit. Also the faucets or cocks 19 are connected with a pipe 18 leading the hot water fromthe distributor or upper portion of said water circuit.

When either or both' of the faucets or cocks 19 are opened and the valve 11 is closed, hot water may be drawn off continuously from the distributor 3 through the domestic service pipe 18 and the active parts of the system would operate just as though the domestic tank 12 were not present. Also when the faucets 19 and the valve 11 are closed and the valve 5 is opened, hot water through the faucets or below pipe 4 is sup 3, pipes 4t and 13,

the level of the bottom may be continuously conveyed through the radiator 6 and the circuit completed just as though the domestic tank 12 were not present. Furthermore, when faucets 19 and valves 11 and 5 are closed, the emergency circuit will be completed by way of the pipe 21 effecting a continuous communication from pipe at to pipe 9 without regard to tank 12. In these instances, the tank is not required; the distributer constituting a suf= ficient reservoir for the reserve hot water.

The heater 1 has an inlet from the pi ie 10 as indicated by the arrow below the character 10 and an outlet at a higher level into the pipe 2 as indicated by the arrow below the character 2. The conduit formed by the pipe 2 aifords direct communication from the outlet of the heater to the distributer 3. A. conduit is provided by the pipes 1 and 4t affording direct communication from the distributer to the radiator and a conduit is afforded by the pipes 8, 9 and 10 connecting the radiator 5 to the inlet of the heater. A by-pass circuit affording direct communica tion from the distributor to the inlet at the bottom of the heater is formed by a portion of pipe 4L together with pipe 13, domestic tank 12 and the pipes 9, 10. A supply pipe 1% leads into the pipe 9 and discharges water under pressure throughpipe 9 and the pipe 10 into the heater. Said supply pipe serves to supply water under pressure to the system. The hot water service cook 19 may be located at any level usual therefor, but the conduit formed by the pipe 18 which is connected to the cook 19 must be connected to the distributer above the level of the inlet to said distributor in order that any accumulation of air or steam may be drawn off from the combined reservoir and dis tributer with the hot water at the service cock.

I claim 2- 1. In a domestic heating system, the combination of a hot water circuit including a distributer, a domestic tank, and a heater, the distributor being situated substantially above the level of the domestic tank, and the domestic tank being situated substantially above the heater; a radiator, a pipe co1nmunicating with the hot water circuit near the upper part of the domestic tank, said pipe leading to said radiator, a pipe leading from said radiator and communicating with the lower portion of said water circuit.

2. In a domestic heating system, the combination of a hot water circuit including a distributor, a domestic tank, and a heater, the distributor being situated substantially above the domestic tank, and the domestic tank being situated substantially above the level of the heater; a radiator, a pipe communicating with the hot water circuit near the upper part of the domestic tank, said pipe leading to said radiator, a pipe lead valve, the

, service cocks. V

8. In a domestic heating system, the combination of a water circuit including a d1stributer, a domestlc tank, and a heater, the

distributer being situated substantially above 7 the level of the domestic tank, and the domestic tank being situated substantially above the level of the heater, a radiator, a pipe communicating with the water circuit above the tank and leading to said 'adiator, a pipe communicating with the lower portion of said water circuit and also leading to said radiator, a valve in one of said pipes leading to said radiator, a valve in the water circuit, service cocks, a pipe communicating with the'upper portion of said water circuit and leading to said service cocks, and a supply pipe for the system. I

4:- In a domestic heatingsystem, the combination of a water circuit including a distributer, a domestic tank and a heater, the distributer being situated substantially above the level of the domestic tank and the domestic tank being situated substantially above the level of the heater; a radiator, a pipe communicating with the water circuit above the tank and leading to said radiator, a pipe leading from said radiator and communicating with the lower portion of said water circuit, service cocks, a pipe commu-nn catin g with the upper portion of said water circuit and leading to said service cocks, and a supply pipe for the heating system.

5. In a domestic heating system, the combination of a water circuit including a dis tributer, a domestic tank, a heater, and a distributer being situated substantially above the level of the domestic tank, and the domestic tank being situated substantially above the level of the heater, a radiator, a pipe communicating with the water circuit above the level of the tank and leading to said radiator, a pipe communicating with the lower portion of said water circuit and also leading to said radiator, a valve in one of said pipes leading to said radiator, service cocks,

ing with the upper portion of said water circuit and leading to said service cocks, a circulatory pipe having one end connected to one of said pipes leading to said radiator, and the other end of said circulatory pipe being connected with the other of said pipes leading to said radiator, said circulatory pipe extendin gbelow the level of the lowest point of either of said pipes leading to said radiator.

6. In a hot water pressure combined heating and domestic service system, the combination of a distributer, a domestic tank, a heater and a radiator; the distributer being situated substantially domestic tank, the domestic tank being situated substantially above the level of the heater, and a radiator extending below the level of the bottom of the heater, a pipe conmotion from the top of the heaterto the side of the distributer near the bottom thereof; a second pipe leading from the bottom a pipe commnnicatabove the level of the.

of the distributer to the radiator; a return pipe leading from said radiator to the bottom of the heater; the bottom of the tank being also connected withsaid return pipe;

and the .tank at its top being connectedwith a said second pipe leadingfrom the bottom of' the distributer; domestic service cocks; 'a domestic service pipe leading from the top oi the dlstributer to said cocks; and a circulation pipe having an unobstructed passage Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 6.? 

